Ticket case and holder.



Pafented my 23,19ol.

L. .1. BLAbEs.

TICKET CASE AND `HOLDER.

(Application led Jan. 10, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

LEONARD J. BLADES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL TICKET CASE CO.

OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 678,933, dated July 23, 1901.

' Application filed January 10, 190D. Serial No. 1,026. `(No model.)

.To all whom t may concern: Be it known that I, LEONARD J. BLADES, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ticket Cases and Holders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled :o in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to ticket eases and holders, and especially to that class of such devices in which the tickets are accommodated in bundles or packages and are adapted to be removed one at a time. In ticket eases and holders as heretofore constructed great difficulty has been experienced in drawing but a single ticket at a zo time, and it frequently happens that the operator or seller will draw eXtra tickets at each operation. The object of my invention is to provid novel means to obviate this diiculty and insure the drawing of but a single ticket at each operation; and with this object in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a perspective view of a case provided with a series oi' holders embodying the principle of my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one form of holder which may be employed. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same, showing a portion of one end of the case. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of another form of holder which may be employed, and Fig. 5 is a eentral sectional view of the same. Fig. 6 is a front view of a holder which is adapted to accommodate a series or plurality of bunches or packages of tickets, parts being broken away to show division-strips. Fig. 7 is a plan view ot' a holder provided with its complement of tickets and having a follower, and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal central section view of the same.V Fig. 9 illustrates a modi- 5o cation. A

In the various' views like parts are inditermined number of tickets, preferably of the Thrall simplex or the Lomax types of tickets or tickets of a similar nature. The shelves or division-plates are supported in the cabinet in any suitable manner and may be of any suitable material and preferably constitute and form the holders for the tick ets, although these may be separate, if de- 7o sired.

In practical use I prefer to so construct the holders or shelves B that they may constitute slides or drawers,'and to this end any suitable arrangement may be adopted which shall provide suitable runways or guides therefor. A simple and convenient method of construction for this purpose is illustrated in Figs. l and 3, wherein the sides of the case are provided with suitable kerfs or grooves 8o 0L to receive runs on the slides or holders, whereby the latter may be readily removed and replaced. Similarly the holders themselves may be of suitable construction to correspond with their associated parts of the case, and when the cabinet is constructed with grooves it will be found convenient to form the holders of metal, the edges whereof may take into the grooves, as shown in Figs.

l and 3. 9o

In any form of structure that may be adopted to constitute the compartments of the case provision is made for causing the bunch of tickets when in its associated' compartment to assume an oblique or diagonal front or to present a downwardly-retreating face to the operator. When tickets of the character mentioned are received by the operator, they usually are in packages and their edges are generally flush or squared up. When a paokroo age of tickets in this form is used by the operator, itis difficult to separate them readily and to draw but a single ticket at a time, the operator frequently drawing two tickets instead of one. This is of course very objectionable and is entirely obviated and overcome by the present invention, wherein each compartment is provided with means to cause the tickets of a package to separate slightly in such manner that the face of the tickets inclines rearwardly and downwardly or the upper tickets overlap the lower ones. This may be accomplished by a variety of constructions, and in the drawings certain arrangements of parts for producing this effect in a simple manner are illustrated.

In Fig. 2, for example, the shelf or holder B is shown as provided upon its upper face near its rear with a forwardly-projecting ineline b, which is formed by an angular plate and which in this exemplication of the device is constituted of the rear portion of the body 0f the shelf-aa for example, when a metal shelf is employed. It is of course apparent that this angular portion may or may not be integral with the body of the shelf, according to the character of the material employed. For example, as shown in Fig. 9, the incline may be a separate piece secured to the case at the rear of the compartment in any suitable manner, so that the inner end of theV holder may come ush with its lower edge. In Fig. 4 another form is shown, in which the angular portion or incline is formed or struck up from the body of the tray, as when metallic holders are employed. In this form a suitably-shaped portion of the body of the holder is stamped or cut out and maybe formed up in a variety of ways or shapes to constitute the diagonal or incline portion.A It may of course be merely a strip, as at b, or it may be a V- shaped piece adapted to provide an ineline and an overhanging portion h', which latter will project forwardly from the top edge of the incline and serve to prevent the displacement of the tickets.

As shown in the drawings, the front of each compartment may be provided with an angular retaining-lip or incline, as at b2, which preferably is inclined outwardly at the same angle as the rear incline b.

It is apparent that each holder may accommodate only a single bunch or package of tickets, as in Fig. l, or that it may be of any width desired to accommodate a series or plurality of such packages, as in Fig. 6, in which latter case suitable division -strips b3 will preferably be provided. These strips or partitions may be of any suitable material and form, and in Fig. 6 are shown as integral portions struck up from the body of the tray, which in this instance is of metal. It is of course understood that shelves of this enlarged form are associated with cabinets of a corresponding size.

.As shown in Fig. 1, the face or front of the case is preferably slightly oblique or is inclined toward the rear, this formation providing easy access to each compartment, as thereby the top of each is slightly in the rear of its bottom.

It -is apparent that the angular portion h of the form shown in Fig. 2 may be provided with a retainer similar to the part h' of Fig. 4, if desired, by merely changing the form of the blank used in making the trays when metallic structures are employed and that the form and arrangement of the retainer may be varied. For example, as shown in'Figs. 7 and 8, the retainer may be in the form of a follower b4, normally resting upon the top of the package of tickets and adapted to adjust itself by gravity to the decreasing thickness of the package, so as always to rest upon the top ticket. This follower may be retained in proper position by any suitable means; but

preferably it will be in the form of a iiat plate or sheet of any suitable material, such as metal or cardboard, of approximately the size of the area of the holder, so as to effectually act as a dust-guard, and preferably is provided near its rear edge with a slot b5 of a size adapted to receive the incline l). The follower may be formed with a recess or opening b in its front edge'to permit the operator more readily to grasp the tickets. The designation of the form, the., of the 'tickets in any compartment may be marked on its front corners, while its face may be provided with a 4schedule of rates to all the stations enumerated on the tickets in its'compartment, which may be readily consulted by withdrawing the drawer or shelf more or less. The follower may of course be guided in its movements in any suitable manner; but the arrangement just described is simple and convenient, and, moreover, by its use the connectionv may always be made irrespective of the size and design of the incline. For example, the incline may extend substantially across the width of the tray, as in. Fig. 2, or it may be formed by one or more angular strips or fingers of greater or less width, as in Fig. 8, and when the tray is of met-a1 adapted to take into grooves in the sides of the case the incline, if of the same width as the tray, may be provided with cut-away portions, as at 197. Itis apparent that the form and design of this diagonal or angular portion may be varied and changed in numerous ways without in any manner departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. It is apparent that by means of the slot connection between the follower and diagonalA the same followers when provided with wide slots may be ernployed interchangeably with shelves having different forms of diagonals and that they may be made of standard pattern and yet be adapted to trays whose diagonals vary in design.

When a package of tickets is introduced into a compartment provided with an incline or diagonal, the rear edge of the package comes in contact therewith, and as the package is pushed home into its seat its shape .is automatically changed thereby from the usual IOO IIO

square configuration to conform to the angular formation of the compartment. This causes the tickets of the package to slightly separate or move with relation to each other in such manner that the forward edge of each ticket slightly overlaps or projects beyond the edge of the ticket next below it, and so on throughout the package, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, which illustrates a bunch of tickets and the relative positions assumed by them under the influence of the incline. As will clearly be seen from this figure, each ticket overlaps or projects forwardly slightly beyond the one next below it. As a result of this oblique or downwardly-retreating formation of the front of each package, caused by the forward movement of each ticket with relation to the next lower one, the upper ticket or the one presented to the operator is always loose from and projects slightly lbeyond the ticket below it, whereby its removal may be readily and easily accomplished without any danger of carrying the next one with it.

The front incline or retaining-lip acts as a stop for the ticket below the one being drawn, and the follower aids in holding the lower one in place. Hence the most satisfactory organization is that which includes both the front an d'rear diagonals and the follower. In this arrangement the rear diagonal causes the tickets as they are inserted in the holder, when the latter is either in or out of the case, to automatically assume the diagonal or step formation, and the front incline then acts as a retaining-lip to insure the retention of the lower tickets. The lip will have an inclination corresponding to the diagonal at the rear and in conjunction therewith forms a seat of approximately the width of the tickets and corresponding in shape to the pa ckage,where by the front edge of each ticket below the one drawn abuts against this lip and is retained thereby. This construction preserves and retains the tickets at all times in the relation necessary to insure the withdrawal of but a single ticket at each operation. The rear diagonal prevents the upper ticket from retreating under the pressure of the operators finger, so as to aline with the one below it and thereby disturb their inclined formation. The follower prevents the tickets from becoming soiled, while the recess h6 enables the operator to readily grasp them, and the front corners furnish convenient space to receive the marks indicating the form or designation thereof. lts principal function is to hold the lower tickets in place, so that only the upper one may normally be drawn. It will be apparent that as the upper ticket gradually uncovers the one next below it the follower gradually contacts with and rests upon an increasing area of that next ticket, so as to hold I it securely in place against the friction of the upper ticket.

It is apparent that a variety of changes may be madein various details of construction and arrangements of parts, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to any particular form, as my invention is intended to cover broadly and generically all forms of holders in which the front face of a package of tickets may be automatically caused to assume an inclination such as described or whereby the relation of the tickets is so changed that each upper one overlaps the next lower one. Also any such form of holder having a retaining device to insure the withdrawal of but one ticket and with or without a follower is within my invention.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A ticket-case having compartments each provided with a rear diagonal and with a corresponding inclined retaining-lip at its front.

2. A ticket-case divided into a plurality of compartments by substantially horizontal partitions, each partition having an integral forward and upward incline near its rear and a front retaining-lip. l

3. A ticket-case having its front inclined rearwardly and having substantially horizontal partitions of uniform size dividing its interior into compartments, and a forwardlyinclined diagonal and retaining-lip for each compartment.

4E. A holder for tickets provided with a rear diagonal adapted to automatically produce a forward movement of tickets in a package with relation to the lower one upon the insertion of a package of tickets therein, and a correspondingly-inclined front retaining-lip.

5. A holder or tray for tickets composed of a metallic slide having portions at its front and rear bent upward at substantially the same angle to form a rear diagonal and front retaining-lip.

6. In a ticket-holder, the combination with a tray having an upward and forward diagonal near its rear and a correspondingly-inclined retaining-lip at its front, of a follower guided by said diagonal.

7. In a ticket-holder, the combination with a tray having an upward and forward diagonal near its rear and a correspondingly-inclined retaining-lip at its front, of a follower having a slot to receive the diagonal.

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEONARD J. BLADES.

Witnesses:

ALLEN G. CLAMPITT, J osIAH MoRoBERTs.

IIO 

